The Diocese of the Arctic ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA Diocese of the Arctic Profile The Diocese of the Arctic covers an area of some four million square kilometres (1.5 million square miles) that is, one third the area of Canada and fifteen times the area of the United Kingdom. It stretches in the West from the border of Yukon Territory, is bounded to the South by the 60th parallel, and in the East includes the north coast of Quebec from James Bay to the tip of Labrador. To the North its ministry stretches to the most northerly permanent civilian settlement in Canada, that of Grise Fiord. The people in this vast area however, number only 95,000 with Inuit living above the treeline, Dene living south of this and a few people whose origin is traced to other areas of the world in all communities. Most of the Inuit are members of the Anglican Church. Those whose origins are traced to outside the boundary of the Diocese represent the whole spectrum of Christian denominations found elsewhere. The Anglican and Roman Catholic churches serve the whole area, but the United, Lutheran, Baptist and Pentecostal churches also serve some communities. The first regular contact of the people of the area, which now constitutes the Diocese of The Arctic, with other people of the world, happened only during the 19th century and later. Many of their first contacts were with whalers and traders who came seeking the resources of the area. A number of traders were great Christians bringing their faith as well as their trade-goods to the North. Their support and encouragement were often vital to the missionaries that came to this land and in the founding of the Church here. In fact, the pattern of the coming of the Church of the North can only be understood as we see also the development of the area for trade with the indigenous peoples. In the far West the history of the work of the ordained members of the Anglican Church goes back to 1858 when Archdeacon James Hunter of the Diocese of Rupert's Land first met and ministered to the people of the Upper Mackenzie (Fort Simpson) but it was not until two decades later that the Good News of Jesus Christ was carried to the Inuit of the Mackenzie Delta (Aklavik) and it was not until 1915 that the Reverend Herbert Girling moved east along the coast to reach the Inuit of the Coronation Gulf (Kugluktuk, formerly Coppermine). The Inuit of the West Coast of Hudson Bay (Arviat, formerly Eskimo Point) learned of Jesus Christ through visiting Churchill where in 1883 the Reverend Joseph Lofthouse ministered. It was not until 1926 however, that a long term ordained residential ministry was established in the area by the Reverend Donald B. Marsh (later the second Bishop of the Arctic). In 1853 a mission had been established at Fort George in James Bay and the Gospel of Jesus Christ was carried up the east coast of Hudson Bay (Great Whale River). The year 1884 saw the Reverend James Peck travelling overland from the coast into Ungava Bay (Kuujjuaq, formerly Fort Chimo) which had been influenced already by the faithful work of the Moravian Church on the Labrador. In 1894 the Reverend Peck extended his work further north establishing a mission at Blacklead Island (near Pangnirtung) from which the Gospel of Christ spread across Baffin Island In writing of the spread of the Gospel and the establishment of the Anglican Church in the Diocese special mention must be made of the role of lay people of all races who by simply sharing their faith by action and word brought others to faith in Christ. There were also hospitals and schools established by the churches that had an important role to play in bringing the love of Christ to the people of the North. Very quickly after coming to faith in Christ, the indigenous people themselves began to take formal leadership roles in their church, becoming lay readers and catechists, first in their small camps but later also in large settlements that have grown up. Early in the life of the northern church indigenous people were called to the ordained ministry, the first being John Tssietla, a Gwich'in, and Thomas Umaok, an Inuk, being ordained as deacons in 1928. Rev. Armand Tagoona and Rev. J.E. Sittichinli were ordained in 1960 to become the first Inuk and first Gwich’in priest to serve in the Diocese of The Arctic. Various training courses have been used over the years for catechist and lay reader training and their development to meet present day needs continues. The training of ordinands was formalized with the establishment of the Arthur Turner Training School in Pangnirtung, in 1970, today ATTS is located in Iqaluit. (Arthur Turner was the missionary in Pangnirtung, with a few breaks, from 1928 until his death there in 1953). Inuit Ordinands are trained at ATTS. They travel with their families to Iqaluit for a three-year course. There, under the direction of the director, with assistance from teachers from universities, seminaries, and churches in Canada and around the world, they receive a comprehensive training and education to fit them for the ordained ministry of the Church. As a result of the work at ATTS, three quarters of the priests and deacons in the Diocese are Inuit or Gwich’in. Of our forty-one clergy, four are Gwich’in ten Inuit are deacons. One bishop is Metis, ten Inuit are priests, two are bishops and three are retired bishops who continue to assist in ministry. Many others have either died or retired. The Arctic has eleven non-indigenous clergy six of whom are from other countries. We must return in history somewhat to recount the beginnings of our life as a Diocese. For many years, the work in the area, which now comprises our Diocese, was supervised by a number of dioceses. This was consolidated in 1927 under the leadership of Archdeacon Archibald Lang Fleming. In 1933 when the Diocese of The Arctic was formed the Archdeacon became its first Bishop. The Rt. Rev. Donald B. Marsh succeeded Bishop Fleming in 1950. In 1962 the Rt. Rev. H.G. Cook was elected to be Bishop Suffragan to assist in the work of this huge Diocese. Shortly after this however the Mackenzie area of the Diocese was removed to become an episcopal district and later a part of the Diocese of Athabasca. In 1975, with the Rt. Rev. J.R. Sperry having been elected Diocesan Bishop, the Mackenzie area again became a valued part of the Diocese of The Arctic. In 1980 the Rt. Rev. J.C.M. Clarke was elected Bishop Suffragan assisting in the episcopal work of the Diocese until his retirement. In 1987, the Rt. Rev. J.C.R. Williams was elected Bishop Suffragan and in 1990 Bishop Coadjutor, becoming Diocesan in 1991. In 1993, Rt. Rev. Terry Buckle was elected Bishop Suffragan and in 1995 he became Bishop of the Yukon. In 1996, the Rt. Rev. Paul Idlout was elected the first Inuk Suffragan Bishop and was presented with Bishop Marsh's ring. In 1999, two additional Suffragan Bishops were elected. These bishops had parishes in the geographic area for which they were responsible. Rt. Rev. Andrew Atagotaaluk had oversight for Nunavik (Northern Quebec) and Rt. Rev. Larry Robertson had oversight for Mackenzie/Kitikmeot. In 2002 Rt. Rev. Andrew Atagotaaluk was elected to be the 5th Bishop of the Arctic and Rt. Rev. Benjamin Arreak was elected as Suffragan bishop. In 2012 Rt. Rev. Darren McCartney was elected Suffragan Bishop and Rt. Rev David W Parsons was elected to be the 6th Bishop of the Arctic. In 2019 Rt. Rev. Darren McCartney resigned as Suffragan and three additional Suffragan Bishops were elected. Rt. Rev Joey Royal, Rt. Rev. Annie Ittoshat and Rt. Rev. Lucy Netser. Rt. Rev Joey Royal oversees ATTS, the High Arctic and South Baffin Deaneries. Rt. Rev. Annie Ittoshat is Rector of Salluit and oversees Ungava and the Hudson Coast Deaneries. Rt. Rev. Lucy Netser is Rector of Arviat and oversees the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot Deaneries. Other major changes occurred in the administration and care of the Diocese. In 1972 the Diocese held its first constituted synod in Iqaluit, adopting a constitution with canons leading to government by synod. This meets every three years for about a week and has the unique feature of having all its proceedings in at least two languages. In between synods a duly elected Executive Committee has the responsibility for the making of important decisions for the synod. With such a vast Diocese there has always been a problem as to where best in Canada the Bishop of The Arctic and the administrative office of the Diocese should be located. When the Diocese was formed its bishop and his offices were located in the Toronto area but with the election of Bishop Cook, the Bishop Suffragan set up his residence in Yellowknife and when Bishop Sperry was elected the Diocesan also moved into the Diocese living in Iqaluit and later in Yellowknife. In 1996 the diocesan office was relocated to Yellowknife. All this however is nothing if there is not growth encouraged and happening among the people of our Diocese. Over the years and particularly since the 1950s the small nomadic groups of people have gathered into permanent settlements many of which have populations of 1,000 or more, with varying degrees of self-government. On April 1, 1999, a dream was realized with the creation of Nunavut.